1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a holder assembly specifically designed to hold common utensils or like devices such as a disposable lighter, bottle cap opener, etc. of the type used repeatedly by bartenders or other personnel wherein such devices are disposed in a readily accessible location to facilitate the repeated access and use of such utilitarian devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tool belts, instrument holders and like structures are, of course, well-known and exist in the prior art in a number of different structural embodiments comprising a variety of a configurations, dimensions, etc. Typically, the design and structuring of such tool belts or like holder assemblies are dependent upon the tools, instruments, utensils or devices intended to be mounted therein. Such tools or accompanying devices in turn are dependent upon the activities a user of such tools intends to perform. Tool belts and tool holders specifically designed for a plurality of specific professions or jobs are perhaps best known and are designed to removably contain construction tools, electrician's tools, plummer's tools, etc. A typical structural configuration of such tool holder includes an elongated belt generally formed of a flexible material and designed to be connected in surrounding relation to a worker's waist. The disposition and configuration of a holder structure connected to such belts enable a wide variety of tools or like devices to be carried thereon.
One profession which appears not to have the consistent availability of any type tool belt or tool holder assembly is that of a bartender. It is, of course, well recognized that bartenders, while performing their duties, which include servicing a plurality of customers, utilize a large variety and number of utensils or like devices. Typically, such utensils are intended to aid the bartending personnel in the preparation of beverages and/or accompanying garnish items such as fruits, vegetables or the like which are frequently added to beverages for purposes of flavoring or decoration. The variety of utensils typically utilized by a bartender include but of course are not limited to knifes, forks, spoons, stirring devices, straws, etc. These tools or utensils are normally positioned at some mutually agreed upon, strategic location about the servicing and preparation area of the bar in order that such utensils may be used by a plurality of different personnel concurrently working in the same general area. The above mentioned utensils are generally utilized in the same common area depending upon whether such utensils are being used for preparation, serving, etc. Since most of the beverages in a bar or lounge atmosphere are generally prepared in a common preparation area and subsequently transported to the customer for serving, a convenient location for such utensils in the vicinity of their intended area of use is a more practical alternative then requiring each of the bartending personnel to carry such utensils on there person.
However, the frequent use and required accessibility of certain devices or utensils, other than those of the type set forth above, do in fact require that bartender personnel have immediate access to such devices in order that one or more customers may be immediately and repeatedly serviced in an efficient manner. Such quick and efficient service has now come to be expected by a large number of the consuming public which frequent lounge or bar establishments. More specifically, such utensils include but are not necessarily limited to cigarette lighters and/or bottle openers.
In recent years disposable cigarette lighters have been used extensively. Such disposable lighters are generally small, lightweight and may be easily carried and operatively manipulated by a single hand of a user. Once the fuel within the disposable lighter structure has been depleted the entire lighter structure is discarded. While such disposable lighters were initially designed for efficient, convenient use and carrying on the person of the user, such as in one's pocket, purse, etc., the size and configuration of the typical disposable lighter makes its readily adaptable for carrying in a preferred holder assembly which may be removably attached to the person, such as on the clothing, of a user of the cigarette lighter. While not officially mandated, it is extremely common for bartender personnel to expedite service and comfort of a plurality of customers by lighting their cigarettes. Accordingly, the positioning and carrying of such cigarette lighters should be such as to facilitate ready access and frequent utilization. Furthermore, the carrying of a cigarette lighter within a pocket of the bartender can often be quite inconvenient, as the bartender may have other items in their pocket which obstruct or hinder removal. In addition, bartenders often have wet hands making it undesirable to insert their hands into a pocket to retrieve the lighter.
Other tools which may best be used when carried on the person of bartending personnel may include a utensil used to remove the metal caps from beverage containing bottles. It is, of course, recognized that a large majority of beverage containing bottles are currently supplied with "twist off" caps. The structuring of such caps or like closure devices are such as to allow the removal of the cap structure by a person exerting a twisting force on the cap with one hand while holding the bottle firmly with the other. While the force required to remove such caps is minimal, care must be taken in order to prevent a person's hand becoming cut, scratched or otherwise damaged. However, in the normal performance of a bartender's duties, an extremely large number of such caps must be repeatedly removed since the main function of a bartender is to serve beverages frequently contained within bottles or like containers having such twist off caps. It is generally accepted among bartending personnel that continuous and repeated removal of this type of cap or closure structure does in fact result in painful damage to the person's hands because of the frequency with which such caps are removed. Therefore, it is common practice for bartenders to utilize utensils specifically designed for the removable of such caps without the user of such utensils having direct contact or engagement with the cap itself. Of course, it is noted that a variety of beverages still utilize non-twist off caps which require the use of a bottle opener.
Much like with the cigarette lighter, it is inconvenient to maintain a bottle opener disposed in a pocket if repeated uses are expected. In addition to the above reasons relating to clutter in the pocket and or wet hands, the bottle opener itself is often wet and may often contain a sharp point, further contributing to the undesirable nature of storing a bottle opener in a pocket. Furthermore, unlike the less expensive, disposable cigarette lighters, bottle openers are often more expensive and a bartender is expected to keep a single bottle opener for an extended period of time. As a result, it would be beneficial to provide a structure that ensures that a bottle opener is not lost, even after repeated uses in a crowded environment, and even if others borrow or also use the bottle opener.
Based on the above, there is a need in the bartending industry for a holder assembly designed specifically to removably contain and support one or more utilitarian devices such as a cigarette lighter, bottle cap opener or like utensil, wherein such a preferred holder assembly may be mounted on the person, such as on the clothing of a bartender or user of such utensils. Such a preferred holder assembly should also be capable of providing free and easy access to such utensils such that frequent and repeated use thereof is facilitated, and should maintain the bottle opener secure and generally free from easy loss or misplacement.